Patent GB-607727-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in garment steamers
IPC: D06F73/00
Filed: 1946-01-28
Abstract: 607,727. Ironing-presses. GAUNT, J. G. (United States Hoffman Machinery Corporation). Jan. 28, 1946, No. 2780. [Class 138(ii)] [Also in Groups XIII and XXIII] Apparatus for steaming garments comprises a hollow steam-pervious body or form 26. Figs. 2, 5, 6, having right and left side portions 80<1>, 80<11>, a steam-pervious flexible covering 86 on said body, slack portions 88 in the covering arranged adjacent to said side portions, steam-pervious panels pivotally mounted on the said body and attached to the slack portions of the covering, and resilient means for normally urging the panels and slack portions outwardly. The form 26 is rotatably carried by a bearing pin 34 attached to the upper end of a hollow heating member 22 which is mounted on a steam chamber 16 carried on the dished upper wall 12 of a base 10. The pin 34 engages a bearing member 32 on a spindle 30 carried by an internal flange 28 on the form. A flanged end wall 44 on the form has a neck portion 46 which fits loosely on the chamber 16 and is supported by a flange 50 thereon. The form comprises a lower section 40, in the form of a metal-mesh wall 76 with a canvas covering 78, and an upper section 38 which is connected thereto by a hinge 72 attached to adjacent flanges 28. 74 of the sections. The upper section 38 consists of an inner metal-mesh body 80 which is connected to the flange 74 at its lower end and a hollow body 82 at its upper end, the part extending above the body 82 being shaped to provide a neck and partial shoulder contour 84. The exterior of the mesh body 80 is covered by canvas 86 which lies snugly against the front and rear faces of the body 82, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, but is provided with slack portions 88 adjacent the side portions 80<1>, 80". A metal-mesh panel 90, which is formed in two hinged sections 92, 94, Fig. 2, is hinged at the lower edge 91 so as to lie along each side of the body 80, being secured to the slack portions 88 of thecanvas along the entire length thereof and having padding 98 interposed between the slack portions 88 and the upper end margin of the panel 90 in order to provide a shoulder portion. The panels are yieldably maintained in position by springs 100, 102, being held to the desired form, according to the size of garment being treated, by pivoted hooks 114 which may be controlled by a handle through eccentric and link mechanism 120 so as to engage one of a series of notches 112 in latch plates 106 hinged to the sections 94. For dealing with large garments, the form would be extended as shown in Fig. 5, and, for smaller garments, the slack portions 88 would be taken up as shown in Fig. 6, with the hooks 114 and latch plates 106 correspondingly adjusted. In order to increase the effective width of the lower portion of the form, a member 25 may be hinged at the waist portion 27 along each side so as to be laterally adjustable by a bar 29 engaging a collar on the end wall 44. Steam, which is admitted to the chamber 16 by a pipe 20, passes through ports 18 into a duct 58 surrounding the heater 22, and may then be either led upwardly within the duct to the upper section, or both in this direction and through ports 60 in the lower end of the duct; a valve in the form of a rotatable sleeve 62 on the lower end of the duct 58 controls the ports 60. The body 80 has a transverse wall 152 having steam openings 154, and a vertical duct 156 with branch ducts 158 for passing steam to the shoulders of the form. The heater 22 is provided with steam inlet and outlet pipes 24, 146, and the steam chamber 16 has an outlet pipe 148 which is controlled by a foot-operated valve 150 and connected with a suction device in order to permit drying of the garment after steaming. The form 26 is associated with a collar shaper 33. Fig. 11, which consists of a metal strip covered with padding and canvas and is pivoted to a bracket 39 extending from the upper end of the form; springs 47 maintain the shaper in both its operation and inoperative positions. In the modified steamer shown in Fig. 10 for treating garments of the sack-coat type, the form consists of a single metal-mesh body 160 which is rotatably mounted by means of a bearing 164 on a rod 166 supported from cross-arms 168 at the upper end of a hollow base 172. A band 174, which encloses the lower end of the form, closely embraces the neck 170 of the base 172 and has arms 176 apertured to receive the rod 160. A canvas covering 194 on the body 160 has slack portions at the sides, and a mesh panel 198 arranged in each of these portions is reinforced by a pair of vertical rods 200 hinged together at 202. The panels are yieldably held in position by compression springs 204, and, in order to vary the shoulder contour of the form, bars 208, which are hinged to the upper ends of the vertical bars 200, are connected by chains 212 passing over pulleys 214, 218 to a hand-operated lever 222. The shape of the lower portion of the form is also adapted to be adjusted by a lever 240 connected by chains 230, 234 passing over pulleys 232 with bars 228 hinged to the lower ends of the vertical bars 200. A heating coil 182 having steam inlet and outlet pipes 184, 186 is provided in the base 172, and, above this coil, is mounted a steam delivery pipe in the form of a circular perforated pipe 188. A motor-driven fan 242 is provided in the lower portion of the base, pivoted louvres 246 being arranged above the fan for regulating the flow of air into the body 160. Associated with the form 160 are front and rear pressing pads 268, 270, Fig. 13, each of which comprises a canvas covering laced on to a frame and may be swung into and out of pressing positions. The pad 268, which is carried by pivoted arms 265a from an upright 265 on a bracket 264, is pressed against the front of the form by a spring-pressed latch 265c. The pad 270 has a rigid arm 266a connected by a link 266b to a supporting bracket 266 and is held against the form by springs. If desired, the pads may be provided with an internal pipe or coil in order to enable them to be heated by steam. Alternatively, electric resistance elements 269, which are arranged between layers 269a of insulating material in the pads, are connected to wipers 269d mounted in insulated relation on the ring 174 and having sliding contact with fixed contact rings 269b.